Mail-transferring apparatus.



G. DEAN.

MAIL TRANSFERRlNG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24. 1916- Patented May 1 1, 1918.

WITNESSES ATTOR N EY GEORGE DEAN, 0F ALPEN'A, MICHIGAN.

MAIL-TBANSFERRING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t te May 4, 1 8,

Application filed November 24, 1916.. Serial No. 133,206.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE DEAN, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Alpena, in the county of Alpena and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Transferring Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved mail transferring apparatus and the principal ob ject of the invention is to provide improved means for suspending a sack from a car or from a station device, the suspendingmeans further serving as means for collecting a sack to be delivered either to the train or at the station.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this train device that it may be extended through either side of a car thus permitting mail to be delivered at stations which are located upon diflerent sides of the track along the right of way.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the train device that the sack will be protected from air currents and thus prevented from being sweptout of engagement,

with the train device by the rush of air caused by the moving train.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the station device and train device that swinging of the sack will be prevented and the sack held in an upright position both before and after being collected.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein there is disclosed in perspective, the improved mail transferring apparatus with the car approaching the station.

The track device is provided with a standard 10 having arms 11 and 12 extending therefrom, the outer portions 13 and 14 of these arms telescoping in the inner portions and being releasably held in an adjusted position by the set screws 15. By adjusting these rods or outer sections 13 and 14, the sacks carried by the track device may be held in the proper position for engagement by the train device and of course, the sacks carried by the train device may be engaged by the station device. The rod 13 is provided with an enlarged head 16 to which there are secured upper and lower fingers 18 which extend transversely of the rod and are provided with hooked end portions. The each 19 is suspended from the lower finggr 18 by means of the ring 20 and tits between the rods 21 connected with the outer end portion of the rod 14. These rods 21 prevent the sack from havingside swing and the latch pin 22 which is connected with one of the rods 21and yieldably held in place by the spring 23 serves to releasably hold the-sackbetween the rods 21.

The standard 2 1 of the train device is rotatably connected with the upper and lower carriages 25 and 26 which are slidably mounted upon the tracks 27 and 28 and extend transversely of the mail car 29 so that the train device may be extended beyond either door 30. A locking bar 31 extends transversely of the standard 24 and has its end portions provided with sliding latches which engage the sockets 36 thereby releasably holding the car device in the extended position. Arms 37, 38v and 39 extend fromthe standard 24 and between the arms 38 and 39 there is positioned a vertically extending plate 4C0 which will be positioned in front of the mail bag 19 thus forming a wind-shield which will protect the bagfrom the rush of air when thecar is in motion. Rods 41 are carried by the lower arm 39 and one of the rods carries latch pins 42 which are similar to the latch pins 22 and are yieldably held in a set position by the springs 43. These rods will pass above the rods 21 when the train passes the station so that the sacks held by the station device may pass between the forward end portions of these rods 4:1 and the sacks carried by the train device may be engaged by the rods 21 of the station device. This sack 19 has its ring 20 engaged by the rods 14 and 15 carried by the arms 37 and 38 and held in place by the latch pins 46 carried by the rod 17 and yieldably held in a set position by the springs 18. The rods 17 and 18 of the sta tion device will pass between the rods 44 and 45 and therefore when the train passes the station, the rods 4d of the train device will ass through the ring of the sack carried y the station device and the rods 18 of the station device will pass through the ring of the sack carried by the train device. Therefore the sack of the train device will be re moved by the station device and held in an upright position and the sack of the station device will be removed by the train device and retained in an upright position. After the sack has been transferred, the one collected by the track or station device may be removed by the station master andthe latches 35 of the train device may be released and the train device drawn into the car and the sack collected by the train device then removed and a new one put in place and the train device then again flex-v tended either through the same doorway or through the opposite side of the car according to which side of the track, the neXt station is located. It will of course be obvious that if the rods of the train device and. station device are of the proper length, more than one sack could be suspended thus permitting the number of sacks of mail delivered to the train or station tobe varied.

What is claimed is:-

1. A mail transferring apparatus including a train device comprising astan'dard, in upper and lower arms extending from the standard, an intermediate arm extending from the standard adjacent the upper arm, inner and outer rods extending trom the lower arm, a rod carried by the intermediate arm for passing through a ring suspending a each from a station device, and rods carricdb v the upper arm of the train device in superposed relation and positioned above"? the rod of the intermediate arm.

2. A mail transferring device including a train device comprising upper and lower arms and an intermediate arm, inner and outer rods carried by the lower arm of the train device, a rod ca rried by the intermediate arm for passing through a ring suspending a sack from a station device, and

eeann arm, a sack engaging rod carried by the intermediate arm, and upper and lower sack engaging and holding rods carried by the upper arm.

In a mail handling apparatus a train device: comprising a standard, upper and lower arms extending from the standard, intermediate arms extending from the standard, means carried by theupper arms for suspending an article to be delivered,

means carried by the intermediate arm for engaging an article to be collected, and means carried by the lower arm for engaging an article tobe delivered and for engaging an article collected and preventing transverse movement of the article.

Intestimon whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE DEAN.

Witnesses:

RHODA B. Felon, ALBERT E.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washingtomflfl. 

